Cargo securing apparatus and methods

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for removably securing a cargo barrier across a doorway in a freight car, or alternatively as a bulkhead from side to side of a freight car, which can most easily and cleanly be removed to open the doorway or bulkhead in order to remove the contents of the freight car. Such apparatus comprises one or more connecting straps connected (as hereinafter defined) to the cargo barrier; an anchor bar secured to the freight car structure about which the strap or straps are looped and/or cinched, and a nailable member such as a wooden post or a metal member formed with a nail retaining slot near to the anchor bar and on the side of said anchor bar toward the doorway or the center of the bulkhead. Adjacent opposite portions of the cinching loop are secured to each other by a nail driven through both portions of the strap and into a position of frictional engagement with the wooden post or the nailing slot. When the apparatus is thus arranged, linear stresses transmitted to the nail from the cargo barrier are divided into substantially equal and opposite component forces and act in shear (and in one sense in double shear) on said nail; each component of force operating to offset the other so as to eliminate substantially all damaging strain and bending forces on the nail that would tend to withdraw the nail from retentive engagement with the slot walls. The straps are formed with equally spaced perforations, the perforations being spaced from each other a distance of which the distance from the anchor bar to the nailing slot in one-half of a multiple. Also, the distance between the anchor bars on each side of the doorway is a multiple of the uniform distance between said perforations. Also, the distances between the nailing slots are multiples of the uniform distance between said perforations.

United States Patent Santho [451 Dec. 5, 1972 CARGO SECURING APPARATUS AND METHODS Albert '1. Santho, 1920 Brandywine Drive, Upper Arlington, Columbus, Ohio 43221 [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 77,180

[72] inventor:

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 708,196, Feb. 26,

1968, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. ..105/369 A, 105/423, 160/368 G [51] Int. Cl ,.B60p 7/08, 861d 45/00 [58] Field of Search ..105/369 A, 369 B, 422, 423,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorney-Jerome R. Cox

[57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for removably securing a cargo barrier across a doorway in a freight car, or alternatively as a bulkhead from side to side of a freight car, which can most easily and cleanly be removed to open the doorway or bulkhead in order to remove the contents of the freight car. Such apparatus comprises one or more connecting straps connected (as hereinafter defined) to the cargo barrier, an anchor bar secured to the freight car structure about which the strap or straps are looped and/or cinched, and a nailable member such as a wooden post or a metal member formed with a nail retaining slot near to the anchor bar and on the side of said anchor bar toward the doorway or the center of the bulkhead. Adjacent opposite portions of the cinching loop are secured to each other by a nail driven through both portions of the strap and into a position of frictional engagement with the wooden post or the nailing slot.

When the apparatus is thus arranged, linear stresses transmitted to the nail from the cargo barrier are divided into substantially equal and opposite component forces and act in shear (and in one sense in double shear) on said nail; each component of force operating to offset the other so as to eliminate substantially all damaging strain and bending forces on the nail that would tend to withdraw the nail from retentive engagement with the slot walls. The straps are formed with equally spaced perforations. the perforations being spaced from each other a distance of which the distance from the anchor bar to the nailing slot in onehalf of a multiple. Also, the distance between the 3?C or bar on each side of the doorway is a multiple 0 t e 111110111! distance between sai perforations.

Also, the distances between the nailing slots are multiples of the uniform distance between said perforations.

21 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures INVENTOR. ALBERT r SANTHO ATTORNEY SHEEI 1 0F 6 PATENTED E 5 I972 PATENTED use 5 m2 SHEEI 2 OF 6 4 w J n. n WN l \m k H fl a 2 m m a N INVENTOR. ALBERT T SANTHO ATTORNEY PATENTEDnEc smrz SHEET '4 0F 6 INVENTOR.

ALBERT 7. SANTHO ATTORNEY 4 PATENTEDBEB 1912 3.704.672

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H's l2 INVENTOR. ALBERT T. SANTHO A T TORNE Y CARGO SECURING APPARATUS AND METHODS BACKGROUND This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Ser. No. 708,196 filed Feb. 26, 1968, now abandoned.

The invention disclosed herein, and illustrated in the appended drawings, relates generally to apparatus for retaining movable cargo, and especially bulk or particulate material such as grain, within a freight car or other enclosure provided with a doorway or opening; and methods for securing such cargo within the confines of such freight car or enclosure.

A number of different arrangements of apparatus have been devised for removably securing a cargo barrier transversely of an access-door opening in a railway freight car. Certain of the known structural combina tions include metallic means, arranged to define a nailing slot, for releasably engaging a pin or nail in a slot in a surface of the cargo enclosure. Disposable cargo barriers, provided with perforated linear strap members are customarily secured upon inner surfaces of such cargo enclosures by impaling a nail through a strap connected to the barrier, or through the barrier, the nail being removably secured within a nailing slot located upon a lateral wall of the enclosure.

Such an arrangement commonly results in imposition of unilateral stress upon the barriersecuring pin. Such stresses frequently operate to pull the pin toward the associated opening or doorway in the freight car. It is thus apparent that, in the operation of such apparatus, barrier-securing pins or nails are frequently strained, bent, or broken as a result of (l) the stress loads imposed upon the nails by a loose and relatively fluid cargo, retained within the car enclosure by an associated cargo barrier, and/or (2) the use of force such as a battering ram in removing such cargo barrier so that the cargo in the freight car may be removed at the destination.

When a barrier-retaining nail is thus broken, a portion of the nail often remains clamped within the nailing slot and serves to distend portions of the slot, making the slot less suitable for subsequent nail retention and holding the slot open for ready access by spoilable cargo particles to internal cavities of the apparatus. Thus, particles of spoilable cargo, such as grain, are frequently forced through the nailing slots into sealed voids located between the slotted element and the outer skin of the freight car. When this occurs, in enclosures provided with previously known apparatus, the particles become trapped within the car wall. They can be removed only after partial disassembly of the wall or associated structural elements.

A common result of entrapment of such particles is to attract vermin and to cause eventual spoilage of the trapped material. Such a result operates to contaminate the enclosure structure and makes further availability of the car, for storage of similar materials, contingent upon extensive renovation of the contaminated cargo enclosure.

Another object to certain apparatus presently available for such purposes is found in the fact that such apparatus often is arranged to replace original load-bearing frame elements of the cargo enclosure, such as cargo enclosure door posts, for example. Such original structures are frequently in serviceable condition and thus available for continued service in a cargo loadbearing capacity, after installation of supplemental barrier-retaining apparatus within the enclosure. Extraordinary care is required in supplementing or replacing such original frame elements to avoid weakening the essential structure of the enclosure.

OBJECTS An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for securing cargo within a partially defined enclosure in such a manner that lateral stresses, imposed upon barrier-securing nails or pins, are substantially equalized, so as to preclude fracture or unintended withdrawal of such nails or pins as a result of normal operational stresses.

A second object of the invention is to provide apparatus for securing bulk or particulate cargoes within an enclosure, which is so arranged as to be readily removable and also to direct infiltrated particles toward a readily accessible cleaning area.

Another object of the invention is to provide accessory apparatus, readily adaptable for installation in flush relation with inner walls of cargo enclosures, characterized by various wall thickness configurations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for removably securing a cargo barrier transversely of a discontinuity, such as a doorway, in a partly defined cargo enclosure, such as a freight car, in such a manner that normally occuring stresses are substantially equalized, so as to minimize strains which may otherwise operate to disengage the barrier from the enclosure.

Still further objects and features of the disclosed invention will be apparent from the subjoined specification and claims, when they are considered together with the associated drawings.

DRAWINGS PK]. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective, showing the general operating relation between structural elements of an apparatus of the present invention consisting of a freight car and showing associated physical features of said freight car all being arranged for operation according to a method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective, similar to HO. 1, in which the wooden post shown in FIG. I has been removed and replaced by a metal nailable member arranged for operation according to a method of the present invention,

H6. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section, taken along the line 33 of PK]. 2, showing a preferred embodiment of an apparatus of the invention, in combination with adjacent portions of the freight car; other portions of the car being eliminated from the view for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; illustrating an apparatus of the invention in operational combination with a strap secured to a related cargo barrier, all but one of the barrier connecting straps being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3; particularly illustrating a gravitational particle passage, and showing an apparatus of the invention in combination with elements of an associated freight car;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 4; showing a preferred profile configuration for an anchor channel element of the preferred apparatus of the invention, all of the connecting straps being omitted for clarity;

FIG. 7 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 4 with the anchor bar omitted for the sake of clarity and the view illustrating a transverse profile of a slotted or grooved portion of the anchor channel of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 4, also with the anchor bar omitted for the sake of clarity and the view showing a transverse profile of a cavity portion of the anchor channel of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section, comparable to the illustration of FIG. 3, showing an alternative arrangement of apparatus of the invention, in association with oppositely disposed parallel walls of a cargo enclosure, such as a freight car; such arrangement being specifically adapted for securing a cargo barrier as a bulkhead transversely of an enclosure opening located between such enclosure walls, according to another method of the invention;

FIG. I is an enlarged view in section, similar to FIG. 3, but showing only a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 3, and showing that portion on an enlarged scale to illustrate an improvement in the structure of the insert which replaces the wooden post, and especially showing an improvement in the structure of the anchor bar of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is a view in section, similar to FIG. 10, showing the position of the straps and nails as the barrier is being forcibly removed; and

FIG. 12 is a view in section, similar to FIGS. and I1, showing the positions of the straps and nails as the barrier is being removed and after the strap has been severed.

SUMMARY The invention relates to apparatus and methods for securing a cargo barrier at an opening in a cargo enclosure. The barrier may partially or wholly block the opening. The cargo enclosure may be a freight car and the opening may be a doorway or a space between the walls of the freight car. The apparatus consists of one or more anchor bars secured to the enclosure, together with straps or lading tapes or similar elements connecting the cargo barrier to the anchor bars. The straps are each connected to the cargo barrier.

The cargo barrier, as usually formed, consists of a plurality of oppositely disposed or laminated sheets of paper or similar cellulose material. These sheets are secured to each other by glue or other adhesive. The connecting straps are inserted between the sheets. At times, the connecting straps are actually secured to the laminated sheets by the adhesive. At times they may, under suitable conditions, slide between the sheets. When pressure of the cargo is exerted on the barrier, however, the connecting straps safely secure the barrier against the opening to prevent escape of any of the cargo. The connecting straps may in a sense be said to be provided as a part of the cargo barrier. As used above in the Abstract of the Disclosure" and in the Background," in this Summary," and also as used later in this specification and in the appended claims, the phrase connected to the cargo barrier" is defined to include the above conditions whether the straps may slide between the sheets or not.

The opposite end (opposite to the barrier) of each strap is formed into a bight loop and is looped around and in slidable engagement with one of the anchor bars. The two parts of the bight loop are arranged in parallel relationship. That is, the end of the strap passes around the anchor and returns in parallel contact relationship with the adjacent portion of the main strap. These two parallel contacting portions are secured to each other by a nail passing through the two portions of the strap but not extending through the barrier. In order to position the nail, it is inserted into a nailing post or into a slot formed in a unit secured to the enclosure. Thereby, the forces of the strap exerted on the nail are substantially equal and opposite and are substantially in shear, and there is substantially no bending force exerted on the nail.

Preferably, the strap is formed with a plurality of perforations uniformly spaced so that the distance between the outer edge of the anchor bar and the nailing slot is a multiple of one-half of the distance between adjacent perforations of the strap. Thus a pair of such perforations are aligned with each other and with the nailing slot. The distance between the outer edges of the anchor bars associated with each of the two lateral edges of the opening or doorway is a multiple of the uniform distance between adjacent perforations.

Preferably, each anchor bar is formed with a cutting edge so positioned that in normal use the straps do not contact said cutting edge; but when a force is exerted pushing the barrier inward of the enclosure, the strap is forced into contact with the cutting edge and is severed thereby.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION Described generally, the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, in illustration of the invention, comprises a combination of elements designated 1, forming means for removably securing a cargo barrier 2 secured transversely of a doorway opening 3 in a freight car generally designated 4.

Tlfe means for removably securing the cargo barrier 2 comprises a plurality of tapes or straps, such as strap 5, connected to the barrier 2, and extending outwardly from such cargo barrier and around anchor bars 6 and 6a to form loops or bight portions 7 and having loop end portions. One extreme end 8 of the strap 5 goes around the bar 6 and is looped back into flat parallel relationship with the main body of the strap 5, and is secured thereto by pins or nails such as the nail 9. The nails, such as 9, are secured to the nailable post 10. Inasmuch as the two portions of the strap 5 are in close contact with each other, the linear forces of the strap act substantially equally and oppositely, and bending forces on the nail are substantially eliminated. The other end of the strap 5 is similarly anchored by the anchor bar 6a. Each of the straps 5 is formed with a plurality of equally spaced perforations such as perforations 11. The nails are each forced through the straps at one of the perforations.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more specifically to the drawings for a detailed description of the structure of a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be seen in FIG. 2 that insert apparatus is preferably arranged for operation in association with a cargo enclosure, such as a railway freight car 20, for example. Freight car enclosures are customarily provided with a vertical wall portion 21 arranged substantially perpendicular to a floor portion 24 and with a ceiling portion 25. Car walls 21 are typically provided with an outer skin 26 and an inner wall 27, and have a lateral door opening 22 which constitutes a structural discontinuity in wall 21 of the cargo enclosure portion of the railway freight car 20. Enclosure walls 21 are frequently provided with vertically disposed door posts 23 and 23a being the opposite margins of the door opening 22.

When a freight car 20 is utilized for storage and transportation of a particulate material such as grain, a disposable cargo-retaining barrier, designated generally as 70 in FIG. 2, may be secured transversely of doorway opening 22 so as to retain the particulate cargo within the confined area of freight car enclosure 20. Disposable barriers are typically formed with a laminated configuration. The barrier 70 illustrated most clearly in FIG. 3 comprises oppositely disposed sheets 76 and 78 of a suitable flexible material. Such barriers are often formed from paper or similar cellulose materials, by way of example.

Between sheets 76 and 78 of a typical barrier 70 are disposed or positioned a plurality of spaced-apart, transverse, linear members 71, each of which comprises a continuous steel strap. These members 71 may be secured to the sheets 76 and 78 by adhesive, for example, or may be slidable between the sheets as explained above. The members 71 are arranged to be laterally extendible beyond opposite margins of barrier sheets 76 and 78. For example, the strap 71 extends beyond (i.e., to the left of) margin 74. Each of the straps such as strap 71 are manually formable into bight loop portions, such as bight loop 72, formed of loop end portions 84 and 85 (FIG. 4). Straps are commonly provided with regularly spaced perforations such as perforations 73. The perforations 73 are formed with a size and configuration suitable for receiving pins such as double-headed nails 80 and 81. These nails can be single-headed if desired. Some of the pins secure the ends of the bight loops together. Thus nail 81 secures the ends 84 and 85 of the bight loop 72 to each other. The strap 71 is looped around an anchor bar 61, and nail 81 impales each opposite end portion of the bight loop. After insertion through a pair of perforations 73 of strap 71, the pin 80 is driven into a suitable struc tural component of the inner car wall 27. Thus the pins removably secure straps 71 around the anchor bar 61 and to the car wall. Such straps and the barrier 70 are thus secured transversely of car door opening 22, preventing effluence of a particulate cargo from confines 28 of freight car 20. The pin does not extend through the barrier itself because, if it did, deformation of the barrier would bend and pull out the pins from the nail securing means.

If desired, the upper margin of barrier 70 may be reinforced by installing a suitable climb board 77 (FIG. 2), secured adjacent its opposite ends by nails 79, to

wall 21 of car enclosure 20. Repeated installation and removal of climb boards 77 and cargo barrier straps causes deterioration of nailable portions of the original car walls making such portions of walls unsuited for continued nail retaining use. It has thus been found practical to replace such portions of freight car walls 21 with metal apparatus similar to the insert 15 shown as a part of the present invention. A preferred embodiment of the invention is an insert 15 which is substituted for the wooden nailable post of the car. The insert 15 comprises a plurality of channel members such as 30, 40 and 50.

Anchor channel member 50 is formed from a suitably resilient material, such as mild steel for example, with the profile configurations of FIGS. 6, 7, and 8. Thus, channel member 50 is formed with a centrally disposed web portion 51. Channel member 50 also has lateral flange portions 58 and 59 and convergent hearing lips 68 and 69 preferably formed along the margins of flanges 58 and 59. The outer surface of web 51 is further formed to define a longitudinal groove 52 (FIGS. 4, 6, 7, and 8) and a plurality of cavities 56, 57, and 98, (FIG. 4), spaced along groove 52. Groove 52 of channel web 51 is preferably formed with the cross-sectional configuration shown in FIG. 7 and is thus defined by opposite marginal bead portions 53 and 54. Cavities 56, 57, and 98 may be of identical configuration, are preferably formed with the cross-sectional configuration of cavity 98, illustrated in FIG. 8, and are regularly spaced along the axis of groove 52 of channel member 50.

Channel member 50 of insert 15 is further provided with an anchor bar 61 (FIGS. 3 and 4), arranged longitudinally within groove 52, so as to extend transversely of cavities 56, 57 and 98. The projecting surface of bar 61 preferably lies in the plane of the projecting surfaces of marginal bead portions 53 and 54 (FIG. 3). Anchor bar 61 and web portion 51 are so proportioned and arranged that the span, between the outer longitudinal margin of bar 61 and the outer plane of the oppositely disposed flange 58 of channel member 50, is either an exact multiple or one-half of a multiple of the interval between adjacent perforations 73 of lashing strap 71. Moreover the perforations in the straps 71 are so spaced that the distance between the outer edges or margins of anchor bars associated with doorposts 23 and 23a of the doorway 22 is a multiple of the distance between adjacent perforations 73 in the straps 71.

Anchor bar 61 is secured upon web 51 by suitable means, such as welds 63 (FIG. 5) for example, located intermediate cavities 56, 57 and 98, of channel member 50. Thus anchor bar 61 cooperates with cavity portions, such as cavity 56 of channel member 50, to form a lashing aperture 62, having the general eye con figuration shown in FIG. 5. Each aperture 62 is suitably proportioned for containing a portion of the bight 72 of lashing strap 71, in threaded engagement with anchor bar 61.

Channel member 50 is secured to outer skin 26, of enclosure 20, by an adjustable connecting bracket, designated generally by the numeral 88 in FIG. 3. Bracket means 88 preferably comprises an angle iron 86, and a tie plate 87, arranged in slidable mutual engagement. Angle iron 86 is further arranged in parallel contact engagement with lateral flange 59 of channel member 50. Plate 87, thus arranged in face-to-face engagement with angle iron 86, is further locatedin abutting relation with enclosure skin 26. With bracket means 88 thus located substantially as shown in FIG. 3, channel member 50 is arranged with projecting surfaces of flanges 53 and 54 and anchor bar 61 substantially in the plane of the inwardly disposed surface of door post 23, the plate 87 being secured to skin 26 of freight car by suitable means such as welds 89.

Spacing channel member 40 cooperates with post channel member to maintain channel member 50 in spaced relation with margin 23 of doorway 22 of freight car 20, and is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Channel member 40 is preferably formed with a web portion 41, having an outwardly disposed surface of substantially plane configuration, and with lateral flange portions 42 and 43. Flanges 42 and 43 are substantially normal to the plane of web M, and are mutually parallel and are substantially plane in outer surface configuration. The outer plane surfaces of flanges 42 and 43 cooperate with outer plane surfaces of channel members 30 and S0 to form nailing slots and 55 and said plane surfaces are spaced apart, by a distance which is a multiple of the interval between adjacent perforations 73 of strap 7 I. Spacing channel member also has bearing portions 82 and 83, respectively (FIG. 3) located op posite web 4I. Spacing channel member 40 is arranged between channel member and enclosure margin 23. Spacing channel member 40 is aligned in parallel relation with channel member 50 (FIG. 4) and may similarly parallel enclosure margin 23. If desired, an additional channel member, comprising a post channel 30 described more particularly hereafter, may be arranged between and in welded engagement with spacing channel member 40 and the enclosure margin of door post 23 to extend the spatial relation between anchor strap 61 and door post 23.

Channel members 50 and 40 are spaced by a plurality of spacing knobs designated as 60 in FIG. 4 to form the pin retaining slot 55. Individual spacing knobs 64 and 66 are formed on spacing channel member 40 and are arranged intermediate abutting plane surfaces 58 and 43 of channel member 50 and spacing member 40, respectively. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that knobs 60 may be formed as independent structural elements, and arranged for separating channel members 40 and 50, so as to form the intervening pin retaining slot 55. However, it is preferred to form knobs 60 integrally with lateral flange surfaces 42 and 43 of spacing channel member 40.

Thus, knobs 64 and 66 are preferably formed as embossed portions, arranged to project laterally from the outwardly disposed plane surface of flange 43 (FIG. 4), spaced longitudinally of spacing channel member 40 and knobs 6S and 67 of channel 40 are similarly ar ranged, and formed as embossed portions, projecting laterally from the outer surface of flange 42, in transverse alignment with knobs 64 and 66 of opposite flange 43. Knobs 64, 65, 66 and 67 project from the adjacent surfaces 42 and 43 of channel 40 by substantially equal distances not greater than the average diameter of a pin means 80. Therefore, when a channel member 40 is arranged with spacing knobs 64 and 66 in contact engagement with lateral wall 58 of channel member 50, spacing channel 40 is in parallel relation with channel member 50 (FIG. 4), and a slot 55 is formed. suitable for retaining a pin means 81 in close frictional engagement with opposed walls 43 and 58 of channels 40 and 50. Spacing channel member 40 is preferably secured to lateral wall 58 of anchor channel 50, by welding the surfaces of contact engagement between knobs 64 and 66 and the lateral flange wall 58 of channel member 50.

In a suitable installation, it will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art, that lateral flange 42 of spacing channel member 40 may be secured directly to door post 23 of enclosure 20 by a suitable seam weld such as 99 (FIG. 4). Such an arrangement results in the formation of door post element 23, outer skin element 26, adjustable connecting means 88, anchor channel member 50 and spacing channel member 40 into a substantially rigid beam configuration.

Under some circumstances, it is advantageous to install a post channel member 30, between door post 23 and lateral flange 42 of spacing channel member 40. Lateral plane face 32 of post channel member 30 may thus be secured to door post 23 by a suitable seam weld 99 (FIG. 4). Opposite face 33 of post channel member 30 may be welded to knobs 65 and 67 of channel member 40, substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Post channel member 30, may, if desired, have an overall configuration substantially similar to that previously described for anchor channel member 50. Such an arrangement affords the added advantage of defining a second pin retaining slot 35, intermediate channel member 30 and spacing channel member 40 inasmuch as opposed flange surfaces 33 and 42 are retained in spaced-apart relation by embossed knobs 65 and 67, substantially as previously described with reference to knobs 64 and 66. Slot 25 is thus defined by lateral flange surface 33 of post channel member 30 and flange surface 42 of spacing channel member 40, when the channel members 30 and 40 are arranged in faceto-face configuration of FIGS. 3 and 4.

When channel members 30, 40 and 50 are so arranged, their respective inwardly projecting surfaces 34, 41 and 6] (FIG. 4) lie in a common operational plane. Resistance to distortion of the insert, from positions within such common interface plane, is provided by reinforcing means, designated generally by the numeral in FIG. 3. Means 90 comprises a backer plate 91, vertical alignment of which is illustrated in the sectional view of FIG. 5. A suitable plate 91 may be formed in the general configuration of FIGS. 3 and 5, with overall proportions suitable for cooperating with post 23, outer skin 26 and bracket 88 to define a peripheral gravitational passage 95 (FIGS. 3 and 5). Plate 91 may be secured to portions 38 and 39 of channel member 30, portions 82 and 83 of channel member 40, and portions 68 and 69 of channel member 50 by suitable welds 92. Plate 91 may be similarly secured, by weld 93, to bracket angle iron 86.

Insert structures 15 may be thus arranged, substantially as illustrated in FIG. 3, in association with elements of inner wall 27 of a cargo enclosure 20, in lieu of, or in replacement of, nailable portions of inner ear wall 21, which are otherwise located adjacent marginal door posts 23 and 23a. A suitable stud 103 (FIG. 3) may be arranged vertically and secured between inner wall 27 and outer skin 26, adjacent margin 102 of inner wall 27. A cover panel is provided of suitable channel member 150 is utilized as a differential frictional bearing. End portion 185 of linear strap 171 is thus threaded through aperture 162 of channel member 150, and is then formed in the configuration of a bight loop 172, and is arranged in looped frictional engagement with anchor bar 169 of channel member 130, with loop end portions 184 and 185 arranged in mutually parallel substantially contact registration transversely of nailing slot 135. End portion 185 is secured in cinched or looped engagement with anchor bar 169 by impaling a pin 181 through loop portions 184 and 185 to secure the loop portions together. Pin 181 is located in a desired position by being inserted in nailing slot 135. Cargo barrier 170 is positioned transversely of space 122 (FIG. 9), secured by linear strap 171 in angular disposition with structures 115 and 215, and thus by suitable means to opposed walls 127 and 227 of freight car 120.

Where an opposite combination 215 is provided in wall 227, opposite end portion 285 of linear barrier strap 17] may be threaded through aperture 262, formed in anchor channel member 250, and around anchor bar 261, and may thereafter be threaded through aperture 268 of anchor channel member 230, and formed into a second bight loop 272, disposed about anchor bar 269. The second bight 272 may be secured in cinched looped engagement with anchor bar 269 by impaling a second pin 28] through parallel end portions 284 and 285. The pin thus fastens them together and is positioned in nailing slot 235.

When linear barrier strap 171 is thus arranged, within a cargo enclosure 120 (FIG. 9), movable cargo contained within the confined area 128 bears upon inner surface 178 of the barrier 170. Resulting stresses imposed upon barrier 170 are divided, transmitted oppositely along linear strap member 171, and initially imposed upon pivot bars 161 and 261 and then to some extent on pins 181 and 281, but portions of the divided stress components are further transmitted by linear strap member 171, beyond the point of first engage ment with pins 181 and 281 to anchor bars 169 and 269 and then are redirected through terminal portions 185 and 285 to related nails 18] and 281, in directions opposite to those of the initially transmitted stress components. Thus, the stresses transmitted by straps 171 to securing pins 181 and 281 are substantially and effectively equalized from a directional standpoint and act in shear on the nails, imposing little if any net bending force.

The apparatus of this invention has been found particularly useful when used in association with disposable cargo barriers and cargo enclosures of railway freight car structures. However, it will be understood that use of an apparatus constructed according to the present invention will likewise facilitate the securing of movable cargo by a variety of barrier structures within substantially different types of partially defined cargo enclosures.

This invention, in its broader aspects, is not confined to specific mechanisms and operating steps shown and described herein. Departure may be made therefrom, within the scope of the accompanying claims, without departing from principles of the invention and without foregoing benefits of resulting advantages.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for securing a cargo barrier at an opening in a cargo enclosure for at least partially blocking said opening, said apparatus comprising:

a. an anchor bar secured to said enclosure;

b. a strap having one end connected to said barrier, having the other end formed into a bight loop, looped around and in slidable engagement with said anchor bar;

c. a nailing slot secured to said enclosure between the opening and the anchor bar; and

d. a nail impaled through the two opposite loop portions of the strap but not extending through the barrier and being engaged in the nailing slot; whereby the two opposite loop portions are in close proximity with each other at the point at which the nail is impaled through said loop portions whereby the forces of the strap on the nail are substantially in shear and there is substan tially no resultant radial force exerted on the nail and bending it,

wherein the strap is formed with equally spaced perforations, spaced from each other a distance so that the distance between each longitudinal margin of the anchor bar and the nailing slot is one-half of a multiple of the distance between adjacent perforations of the strap whereby a pair of said perforations are aligned with each other and are both aligned with the nailing slot.

2. in combination with a freight car enclosure having a floor portion and having a vertical side wall portion with a pair of vertically extending horizontally spaced door posts defining a doorway in said sidewall above the vehicle floor portion surface:

a door for said doorway comprising:

a flexible barrier closure for said doorway;

an anchor bar secured to said freight car enclosure;

a plurality of cooperating members placed in substantial side-byside relationship with each other but spaced from each other slightly and posi' tioned inward of said anchor bar in said doorway;

a plurality of flexible lading tapes forming a part of said flexible closure and each extending outward of said flexible closure and looped around said anchor bar, without being secured thereto, to form a bight loop and then returning in parallel relationship with itself; and

nails, each passing through both parallel portions of said tapes and into the space between a pair of said cooperating members, the nails having a diameter at least as great as the space between the cooperating members;

whereby the pull of said tapes is mainly on the anchor bar, the pull on the nail is substantially in opposite directions, and substantially equal, the nail serves to secure the forward and return portions of the bight loop to each other, and the loops of the tapes may slide on the anchor bar to substantially equalize the forces thereof on said nail;

wherein the spaces between the cooperating members form nailing slots;

wherein the nailing slots have parallel walls of substantially plane configuration; and

16 7. The structure of claim 6, in which the means for retaining the nail comprises a nailable post.

the anchor bar to the nailing slot is one-half of a multiple, whereby a pair of said perforations are aligned with each other and a nailing slot.

8. The structure of claim 6, in which the means for retaining the nail comprises a nailing slot secured to said base structure.

9. The structure of claim 8,

wherein the strap is formed with a plurality of equally spaced perforations spaced from each other a uniform distance so that the distance between the distal margin of the anchor bar and the nailing slot 3. Apparatus for securing a cargo barrier at an opening in a cargo enclosure for at least partially blocking said opening, said apparatus comprising:

a. an anchor bar secured to said enclosure;

b. a strap having one end connected to said barrier,

having the other end formed into a bight loop, looped around and in slidable engagement with said anchor bar;

tially. no resultant radial force exerted on the nail and bending it.

is one-half of a multiple of the distance between adjacent perforations of the strap whereby when the strap is formed with a bight loop a pair of said a nailing slot secured to said enclosure between perforations 0f the bight P Portion of the strap the opening and the nch r b r; are aligned with each other and are both aligned a nail impaled through the two opposite loop porwith the haihhg stottions of the strap but not extending through the h 'h Otclalm I barrie nd b i engaged i h ili l wherein said base structure IS formed with an opena portion of the anchor bar being formed into a 8 ohe h apparatus i mounted 9" each sidelof ti d h b i d movement f the said opening, and wherein the strap 18 formed with strap into the cargo enclosure forces said strap umformly P f Perforatlohs h h distance against said cutting edge in order to sever said betwFenhalhhg sl0ts opPoslte Stdes of the t opening IS a multiple of the distance between the whereby the two opposite loop portions are in Perforatlons t close proximity with each other at the point at h structure 9 which the nail is impaied through Said loop pop wherein a deflecting means including a deflecting tions whereby the forces of the strap on the nail surface is mounted ad acent the anchor bar for the are substantially in shear and there is substan- 3O purpose of deflectmg straps which have been serted behind said anchor bar. 12. An insert for substitution in place of a nailing post of a freight car and arranged to be secured to said freight car comprising:

a U-shaped anchor channel member having a substantially plane outer face but formed with a pocket in said substantially plane face;

an anchor bar formed as a part of said anchor channel member and positioned in alignment with said pocket so that it is adjacent to but spaced from the face of said anchor channel member; and

a spacer channel member secured to said anchor channel member, having a substantially plane outer face, and having a plurality of spacing knobs formed on one side thereof whereby the spacing knobs space the anchor channel member and the spacer channel member from each other to form a nailing slot,

wherein a portion of the anchor bar is formed with a cutting edge.

13. An insert for substitution in place of a nailing post of a freight car also having a door post and arranged to be secured to said freight car comprising:

a U-shaped anchor channel member having a substantially plane outer face but formed with a 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a deflecting means including a deflecting surface is mounted adjacent the anchor bar for the purpose of deflecting a strap which has been inserted behind said anchor bar, inwardly of the cargo enclosure.

5. A structure according to claim 3,

wherein a pair of said apparatuses are mounted one on each side of said opening and wherein the strap 40 is formed with equally spaced perforations and the distance between nailing slots on opposite sides of the opening is a multiple of the distance between the perforations of said strap.

6. Apparatus for securing a strap to a base structure, said apparatus comprising:

a. an anchor bar secured to said base structure;

b. a strap having one end free to be connected to a work load, the other end formed into a bight loop and looped around and in slidable engagement with said anchor bar;

0. a nail impaled through two opposite loop portions of the strap; and d. means for retaining said nail;

strap exerted on the nail are substantially in shear and there is substantially no bending force exerted on the nail great enough to bend it.

. a portion of the anchor bar being formed into a pocket i id b mi n plane f Cutting edge whereby when forces on the Wetk an anchor bar formed as a part of said anchor chanload end of the Strap are P p y dheeted. y nel member and positioned in alignment with said move Said Strap against the Cutting edge, cutting pocket so that it is adjacent to but spaced from the the strap; face of said anchor channel member, wherein the two opposite loop portion a in a spacer channel member secured to said anchor parallel relationship and in close proximity with channel member, having a substantially plane each other at the point at which the nail is imouter face, and having a plurality of spacing knobs paled through said loop portions, whereby the formed on both sides thereof; and forces of the two opposite loop portions of the a post member, secured to said spacer channel member on the side thereof opposite to said anchor channel member and arranged to be secured to the door post of the freight car whereby the spacing knobs space the anchor channel member and the spacer channel member from each other and the spacer channel member and the post member from each other to form a pair of parallel nailing slots, in which the anchor bar is formed with a cutting edge.

14. An insert for substitution in place of a nailing post of a freight car and arranged to be secured to said freight car comprising:

an anchor channel member having a substantially plane outer face but formed with a pocket in said plane face;

an anchor bar formed as a part of said anchor channel member and positioned in alignment with said pocket; and

a spacer channel member having a substantially plane outer face, having spaced knobs formed on one side thereof, by which said spacer channel member is spaced from said anchor channel member so as to form a nailing slot between said anchor channel member and said spacer channel member, said nailing slot being substantially parallel side walls in which the anchor bar is formed with a cutting edge.

15. ln the combination of an enclosure having an opening, a barrier means across said opening and securing means for locking the barrier means in place to prevent its displacement from said opening,

the securing means including channel pairs on op posite sides of said opening, each channel pair including two parallel metallic elements spaced apart by spacer means to define a nailing slot,

each channel pair including one channel with an attached anchor bar, said bar extending parallel with the adjacent slot in one plane,

said barrier means including strap means extending laterally beyond each side of said opening, between each anchor bar and its attached channel and bearing on said anchor bar, the improvement comprising; means for holding the strap means in bearing relationship with the anchor bar comprising nails which penetrate the strap means twice and extend into the nail slot,

the anchor bar and its attached channel being th part of each channel pair which is most remote from said opening,

the strap extending between the anchor bar and its attached channel and being doubled back around the anchor bar toward the opening to form parallel portions of the strap,

nail means penetrating both parallel portions and extending into the nail slot, said slot lying between the anchor bar and the opening,

the bearing area of the strap means and anchor bar being respectively flexible and curved to allow the strap to adjust and equalize tension in both parallel portions and thereby substantially prevent increased bending force on the nail when there is a subsequent increase in tension in the strap means between the two said nail slots.

16. The combination of claim 15, including an additional channel with attached anchor bar on each side of said door, said additional channel and bar being placed parallel with said first named anchor bar and located nearer the opening than said first named anchor bar and its attached channel,

spacer means between each of said last named channels and one of the other adjacent channels to space the two apart and define a second nailing slot on each side of said opening.

17. The combination of claim 15, wherein said open ing comprises the transverse width of a railroad box car.

18. The combination as defined in claim 33, including an additional channel and attached anchor bar on each side of said opening,

said second named channel and anchor bar extending parallel to said first named channel and anchor bar.

19. The combination as defined in claim l8, wherein said straps extend across the transverse width of the railroad box car, between the last named anchor bar and its attached channel prior to extending around the first named anchor bar.

20. The combination of claim 16, wherein said opening comprises the transverse width of a railroad box car.

21. The combination as defined in claim 20, wherein said straps extend across the transverse width of the railroad box car, between the last named anchor bar and its attached channel prior to extending around the first named anchor bar.

P0405 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,704,672 Dated December 5. 1972 Inventor) Albert T. Santho It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the abstract, (cover page of distance from the anchor patent) lines 2931 should read: bar to the nailing slot i onehalf of a multiple.

Col. 1, line 63 should read: Another objection to certain apparatus rather than "Another object to certain apparatus" Col. 8, line 35 should read: slot 35 is thus defined rather than "slot 25is th'lS defined" Col. 18, line 25, Claim 18 18. The combination as deshould read fined in claim 17 rather than "The combination as defined in claim 33" Signed and sealed this 1st day of May 1973. J

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. Apparatus for securing a cargo barrier at an opening in a cargo enclosure for at least partially blocking said opening, said apparatus comprising: a. an anchor bar secured to said enclosure; b. a strap having one end connected to said barrier, having the other end formed into a bight loop, looped around and in slidable engagement with said anchor bar; c. a nailing slot secured to said enclosure between the opening and the anchor bar; and d. a nail impaled through the two opposite loop portions of the strap but not extending through the barrier and being engaged in the nailing slot; whereby the two opposite loop portions are in close proximity with each other at the point at which the nail is impaled through said loop portions whereby the forces of the strap on the nail are substantially in shear and there is substantially no resultant radial force exerted on the nail and bending it, wherein the strap is formed with equally spaced perforations, spaced from each other a distance so that the distance between each longitudinal margin of the anchor bar and the nailing slot is one-half of a multiple of the distance between adjacent perforations of the strap whereby a pair of said perforations are aligned with each other and are both aligned with the nailing slot.
 2. In combination with a freight car enclosure having a floor portion and having a vertical side wall portion with a pair of vertically extending horizontally spaced door posts defining a doorway in said sidewall above the vehicle floor portion surface: a door for said doorway comprising: a flexible barrier closure for said doorway; an anchor bar secured to said freight car enclosure; a plurality of cooperating members placed in substantial side-by-side relationship with each other but spaced from each other slightly and positioned inward of said anchor bar in said doorway; a plurality of flexible lading tapes forming a Part of said flexible closure and each extending outward of said flexible closure and looped around said anchor bar, without being secured thereto, to form a bight loop and then returning in parallel relationship with itself; and nails, each passing through both parallel portions of said tapes and into the space between a pair of said cooperating members, the nails having a diameter at least as great as the space between the cooperating members; whereby the pull of said tapes is mainly on the anchor bar, the pull on the nail is substantially in opposite directions, and substantially equal, the nail serves to secure the forward and return portions of the bight loop to each other, and the loops of the tapes may slide on the anchor bar to substantially equalize the forces thereof on said nail; wherein the spaces between the cooperating members form nailing slots; wherein the nailing slots have parallel walls of substantially plane configuration; and wherein the tapes are formed with equally spaced perforations, said perforations being spaced from each other a distance of which the distance from the anchor bar to the nailing slot is one-half of a multiple, whereby a pair of said perforations are aligned with each other and a nailing slot.
 3. Apparatus for securing a cargo barrier at an opening in a cargo enclosure for at least partially blocking said opening, said apparatus comprising: a. an anchor bar secured to said enclosure; b. a strap having one end connected to said barrier, having the other end formed into a bight loop, looped around and in slidable engagement with said anchor bar; c. a nailing slot secured to said enclosure between the opening and the anchor bar; d. a nail impaled through the two opposite loop portions of the strap but not extending through the barrier and being engaged in the nailing slot; e. a portion of the anchor bar being formed into a cutting edge whereby inward movement of the strap into the cargo enclosure forces said strap against said cutting edge in order to sever said strap; whereby the two opposite loop portions are in close proximity with each other at the point at which the nail is impaled through said loop portions whereby the forces of the strap on the nail are substantially in shear and there is substantially no resultant radial force exerted on the nail and bending it.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a deflecting means including a deflecting surface is mounted adjacent the anchor bar for the purpose of deflecting a strap which has been inserted behind said anchor bar, inwardly of the cargo enclosure.
 5. A structure according to claim 3, wherein a pair of said apparatuses are mounted one on each side of said opening and wherein the strap is formed with equally spaced perforations and the distance between nailing slots on opposite sides of the opening is a multiple of the distance between the perforations of said strap.
 6. Apparatus for securing a strap to a base structure, said apparatus comprising: a. an anchor bar secured to said base structure; b. a strap having one end free to be connected to a work load, the other end formed into a bight loop and looped around and in slidable engagement with said anchor bar; c. a nail impaled through two opposite loop portions of the strap; and d. means for retaining said nail; e. a portion of the anchor bar being formed into a cutting edge whereby when forces on the work load end of the strap are properly directed, they move said strap against the cutting edge, cutting the strap; wherein the two opposite loop portions are in parallel relationship and in close proximity with each other at the point at which the nail is impaled through said loop portions, whereby the forces of the two opposite loop portions of the strap exerted on the nail are substantially in shear and there is substantially no bending force exerted on the nail great enough to bend it.
 7. The structure of clAim 6, in which the means for retaining the nail comprises a nailable post.
 8. The structure of claim 6, in which the means for retaining the nail comprises a nailing slot secured to said base structure.
 9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the strap is formed with a plurality of equally spaced perforations spaced from each other a uniform distance so that the distance between the distal margin of the anchor bar and the nailing slot is one-half of a multiple of the distance between adjacent perforations of the strap whereby when the strap is formed with a bight loop a pair of said perforations of the bight loop portion of the strap are aligned with each other and are both aligned with the nailing slot.
 10. The structure of claim 8, wherein said base structure is formed with an opening, one such apparatus is mounted on each side of said opening, and wherein the strap is formed with uniformly spaced perforations and the distance between nailing slots on opposite sides of the opening is a multiple of the distance between the perforations of said strap.
 11. The structure of claim 6, wherein a deflecting means including a deflecting surface is mounted adjacent the anchor bar for the purpose of deflecting straps which have been inserted behind said anchor bar.
 12. An insert for substitution in place of a nailing post of a freight car and arranged to be secured to said freight car comprising: a U-shaped anchor channel member having a substantially plane outer face but formed with a pocket in said substantially plane face; an anchor bar formed as a part of said anchor channel member and positioned in alignment with said pocket so that it is adjacent to but spaced from the face of said anchor channel member; and a spacer channel member secured to said anchor channel member, having a substantially plane outer face, and having a plurality of spacing knobs formed on one side thereof whereby the spacing knobs space the anchor channel member and the spacer channel member from each other to form a nailing slot, wherein a portion of the anchor bar is formed with a cutting edge.
 13. An insert for substitution in place of a nailing post of a freight car also having a door post and arranged to be secured to said freight car comprising: a U-shaped anchor channel member having a substantially plane outer face but formed with a pocket in said substantially plane face; an anchor bar formed as a part of said anchor channel member and positioned in alignment with said pocket so that it is adjacent to but spaced from the face of said anchor channel member; a spacer channel member secured to said anchor channel member, having a substantially plane outer face, and having a plurality of spacing knobs formed on both sides thereof; and a post member, secured to said spacer channel member on the side thereof opposite to said anchor channel member and arranged to be secured to the door post of the freight car whereby the spacing knobs space the anchor channel member and the spacer channel member from each other and the spacer channel member and the post member from each other to form a pair of parallel nailing slots, in which the anchor bar is formed with a cutting edge.
 14. An insert for substitution in place of a nailing post of a freight car and arranged to be secured to said freight car comprising: an anchor channel member having a substantially plane outer face but formed with a pocket in said plane face; an anchor bar formed as a part of said anchor channel member and positioned in alignment with said pocket; and a spacer channel member having a substantially plane outer face, having spaced knobs formed on one side thereof, by which said spacer channel member is spaced from said anchor channel member so as to form a nailing slot between said anchor channel member and said spacer channel member, said nailing slot being substantially parallel side walls in which the anchor bar is forMed with a cutting edge.
 15. In the combination of an enclosure having an opening, a barrier means across said opening and securing means for locking the barrier means in place to prevent its displacement from said opening, the securing means including channel pairs on opposite sides of said opening, each channel pair including two parallel metallic elements spaced apart by spacer means to define a nailing slot, each channel pair including one channel with an attached anchor bar, said bar extending parallel with the adjacent slot in one plane, said barrier means including strap means extending laterally beyond each side of said opening, between each anchor bar and its attached channel and bearing on said anchor bar, the improvement comprising; means for holding the strap means in bearing relationship with the anchor bar comprising nails which penetrate the strap means twice and extend into the nail slot, the anchor bar and its attached channel being the part of each channel pair which is most remote from said opening, the strap extending between the anchor bar and its attached channel and being doubled back around the anchor bar toward the opening to form parallel portions of the strap, nail means penetrating both parallel portions and extending into the nail slot, said slot lying between the anchor bar and the opening, the bearing area of the strap means and anchor bar being respectively flexible and curved to allow the strap to adjust and equalize tension in both parallel portions and thereby substantially prevent increased bending force on the nail when there is a subsequent increase in tension in the strap means between the two said nail slots.
 16. The combination of claim 15, including an additional channel with attached anchor bar on each side of said door, said additional channel and bar being placed parallel with said first named anchor bar and located nearer the opening than said first named anchor bar and its attached channel, spacer means between each of said last named channels and one of the other adjacent channels to space the two apart and define a second nailing slot on each side of said opening.
 17. The combination of claim 15, wherein said opening comprises the transverse width of a railroad box car.
 18. The combination as defined in claim 33, including an additional channel and attached anchor bar on each side of said opening, said second named channel and anchor bar extending parallel to said first named channel and anchor bar.
 19. The combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said straps extend across the transverse width of the railroad box car, between the last named anchor bar and its attached channel prior to extending around the first named anchor bar.
 20. The combination of claim 16, wherein said opening comprises the transverse width of a railroad box car.
 21. The combination as defined in claim 20, wherein said straps extend across the transverse width of the railroad box car, between the last named anchor bar and its attached channel prior to extending around the first named anchor bar. 